RADA spearheads establishment of agricultural extension network

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw (centre) shares a light moment with Glenville Hall (left), Zonal Director, West and Peter Thompson CEO, both of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority at a stakeholders meeting to discuss the establishment of a Jamaican agricultural extension providers network held October 3, 2018 at the Medallion Hall Hotel in Kingston.

Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, the Hon. Audley Shaw, has welcomed the establishment of the Jamaica country forum for an agricultural extension providers network, being spearheaded by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA).

The network, aimed at strengthening the provision of agricultural and rural advisory services in a coordinated manner will include participation from all stakeholder groups which provide these services.

Addressing the stakeholders meeting on Wednesday, October 3, Minister Shaw told participants that the provision of agricultural extension services was a key component for improving the productivity of farmers.

Collaborations, partnerships and knowledge sharing among stakeholders within the sector were also critical to ensure a sustainable rural extension advisory service, Minister Shaw said.
In addition, the Minister said he was heartened to witness the integration of the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) a structure consisting of regional rural advisory service networks and the Caribbean Agricultural Extension Providers’ Network (CAEPNet) collaborating with RADA to establish the local network .

For his part, Glanville Hall, who is the focal point in Jamaica for the Caribbean Agricultural Extension Providers Network and a zonal director of RADA said the national forum wanted to have extension services providers under one umbrella in order to advise policy makers and to lobby for actions which would allow for pluralistic extension services.

Mr Hall announced that Jamaica has been selected to host the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) conference in 2019.

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